Things are heating up around the NLL. We are six weeks of game action away from the end of the 2024-25 National Lacrosse League Regular Season. The playoff race is as tight as can be, and the mighty Buffalo Bandits, who, for now, still sit at the top of the standings, are showing some vulnerabilities.
As the season has progressed, the results have become less predictable and that’s great for fans of the game. In this week’s By The Numbers, I break down some of the nuggets that showcase just how unpredictable the season has been up to this point.
27 – Clarke Petterson Total Shots In Week 15
Last weekend, the Halifax Thunderbirds Clarke Petterson took a lot of shots while battling against the Toronto Rock.Â
Petterson’s 27 total shots were the most he’s taken this season, and, in fact, it is the most shots any player in the NLL has taken this season. Furthermore, the 27 total shots are tied for the 3rd-most in NLL since the start of the 2022-23 NLL Season*
His 21 shots on goal back on March 7th were also the 2nd-most shots on goal by any player this season.
Unfortunately for the Thunderbirds, Petterson scored 2 goals in that game versus the Rock, and the Thunderbirds lost that game 15-12.
*The NLL does not have total shot data available prior to the 2022-23 season. We do know that this was the most shots he’d taken since data became available. And, based on the data available, this appears to be the most shots that Petterson has taken in his NLL career.
6 – Years Since Calgary Beat Buffalo Twice In A Single Season
The Calgary Roughnecks are hoping to make a little franchise history in Week 16.
Coming off their jaw-dropping 17-11 win against the Buffalo Bandits in Week 15 in Buffalo, the Roughnecks have a chance to knock down the Bandits again this weekend, this time in front of their hometown fans.
On Saturday night, the Roughnecks welcome the Bandits into the Scotiabank Saddledome. This will be the Bandits’ first time back playing in Calgary since Game 2 of the 2019 NLL Cup – the Bandits would lose that championship series 2-0. Historically, the Bandits have not found a lot of success in Calgary. They are 0-5 against the Roughnecks outside of Banditland and 4-7 against them on the road in franchise history.
If Calgary wins, it would be the first time since that championship series success 6 years ago that they beat the Bandits twice in the same year.
1 – Points and Caused Turnovers Adam Poitras Needs To Make NLL History
The Las Vegas Desert Dogs Adam Poitras has played very well during his rookie season.
As it stands right now, Poitras has recorded 34 points, 14 caused turnovers and 80 loose ball recoveries this season. If he records 1 more caused turnover, he will become only the 2nd rookie in NLL history to reach 30 points, 15 caused turnovers, and 80 loose ball recoveries – the other is the Buffalo Bandits’ Ian MacKay, who surpassed each of those marks during the 2018-19 season.
Now, if Poitras also records 1 more point, he will become not only the first rookie in NLL history to reach 35 points and 15 caused turnovers, he will also become just the 16th player in NLL history to ever reach those marks.
But, let’s not stop there. Let’s have some fun with this. Poitras is on pace to finish the 2024-25 NLL Season with 47 points, 19 caused turnovers, and 111 loose ball recoveries. If he reaches those figures, he will become only the 6th player in NLL history to record 45+ points, 15+ caused turnovers, and 110+ loose ball recoveries in a single season. The fact that he could achieve that as a rookie is mind-boggling. This would be, without question one of the greatest rookie season in NLL history.
1,904 – Days Since The Colorado Mammoth Played A Regular Season Game Without Eli McLaughlin or Zed Williams
The Colorado Mammoth have not been providing much good news to their fans of late.
On March 5th, the Mammoth announced that Zed Williams is out for the season due to an Achilles injury. A couple of days ago, on March 11th, they announced that Eli McLaughlin was being put on the NLL’s Hold Out List because he is starting his onboarding process to become a member of the Vancouver Fire Department.
Eli McLaughlin was moved to the Hold Out List as he takes the next step in his career as a firefighter in British Columbia.
— Colorado Mammoth (@MammothLax) March 11, 2025
Full Story: https://t.co/oZfmNoRafw pic.twitter.com/mxTtNeV2Ev
So, in the span of less than a week, Mammoth fans pretty much found out they’ll be without two of their most talented players for the remainder of this season.
The Mammoth have had their ups and downs over the last few years, but Williams and McLaughlin have consistently provided some of the highest highs for the team in that span. Their efforts throughout the team’s 2022 playoff run, which culminated in the Mammoth winning the NLL Cup that year, will never be forgotten.
While Williams is newer to the team than McLaughlin – Williams joined the Mammoth in the summer of 2020 – it has been a long time since either Williams or McLaughlin were out of the Mammoth’s lineup on the same night. In fact, you’ll have to go all the way back to December 28th, 2019 to find a game where that happened. That night, the Mammoth won 13-11 against the Georgia Swarm in Georgia in large part due to a 5-goal game from Jacob Ruest.
Now, Ruest isn’t on the Mammoth anymore, but this does raise the question: Without McLaughlin and Williams in the lineup, who is going to step up and make up for their impressive nightly output?
Connor Kelly and Will Malcom are the Mammoth’s Top 2 goal scorers this season, with a combined 53 goals over 12 games. When you add Ryan Lee, Connor Robinson, and Thomas Vela’s production, there are plenty of weapons who can step up to fill the void of McLaughlin and Williams.